He also thinks his poor situation in life is the results of us being in the EU.

At least he doesn't have to worry about that anymore

Thanks Daleth, I'm still upset but hoping to diety that the trigger is never pulled. Failing that, Sturgeon performs a miracle and gets us into the EU and out of the UK.LMAO!

That is NOT funny. Not the way I'm feeling today :( I'm Scottish, so that should tell you something.

Christ I feel your pain. I so hope the UK manages to quite literally hold itself together and stay in the EU. And failing that, I hope Scotland and Northern Ireland manage to remain in the EU no matter what happens to idiotic England and Wales.

At least, I was overhearing it. I grabbed my headphones as soon as I realised what I was hearing.

(Not money-related but I had to share the horror with someone.)

Eww, gross! I hate the sound of someone clipping their nails. It freaks me out that I might find someone's nail clippings lying around somewhere. So creepy!

Why are people so grossed out by finger nails? Sure, doing it in public isn't great, but to some people it's just a step removed from taking a dump on someone else's desk.

I'm not going to collect his nail clippings and force-feed them to him as punishment. I just think there is a time and a place. The place is, obviously, not work*, and the time is not when you're being paid to do a job.

*Sydney Trains also not the place, but that didn't stop the three separate people I've encountered doing just that...

At least, I was overhearing it. I grabbed my headphones as soon as I realised what I was hearing.

(Not money-related but I had to share the horror with someone.)

Eww, gross! I hate the sound of someone clipping their nails. It freaks me out that I might find someone's nail clippings lying around somewhere. So creepy!

Why are people so grossed out by finger nails? Sure, doing it in public isn't great, but to some people it's just a step removed from taking a dump on someone else's desk.

I'm not going to collect his nail clippings and force-feed them to him as punishment. I just think there is a time and a place. The place is, obviously, not work*, and the time is not when you're being paid to do a job.

*Sydney Trains also not the place, but that didn't stop the three separate people I've encountered doing just that...

For the record, the place and time is NEVER, EVER on an airplane while letting your nail clippings simply drop to the floor, without cleaning them up.

I'm pretty sure that I'd have a hard time getting wallabies in Kentucky, and I'm fairly certain that species from the Australian continent require as special animal license in this state anyway. Also, barely domesticated animals, prone to aggression towards children, and can jump a huge fence. So no thanks.

Different strokes......you would need a license but there are several Kentucky based breeders. They are not prone to aggression, can be kept indoors, they can jump but not crazy high (6 foot fence recommended) and can be quite friendly especially if hand raised. Just a suggestion if you wanted something more unique than a sheep or goat.

"Once you've bought all the ingredients, it works out just as cheap to get takeaway than to cook at home"

I am very suspicious of their claim that they have ever actually bought ingredients and cooked at home.

I think this is a common (and understandable) misconception by people that have never really cooked and are trying to start. If you don't already have a fully stocked kitchen, then the first several meals are very expensive as you have to go out and buy every little thing like spices, condiments, butter, etc. Recipe calls for 2 Tbsp of flour to thicken? Well shit now I have to buy a whole bag. That kind of thing.

If you can direct them to a place to buy things in bulk ('bulk' as in ability to buy just a little, bring your own container, etc, not 'mass quantity') that helps a lot, especially for spices. Going from zero spices to a full spice rack by trying to buy mccormick jars at the grocery store will break the bank quick.

"Once you've bought all the ingredients, it works out just as cheap to get takeaway than to cook at home"

I am very suspicious of their claim that they have ever actually bought ingredients and cooked at home.

I think this is a common (and understandable) misconception by people that have never really cooked and are trying to start. If you don't already have a fully stocked kitchen, then the first several meals are very expensive as you have to go out and buy every little thing like spices, condiments, butter, etc. Recipe calls for 2 Tbsp of flour to thicken? Well shit now I have to buy a whole bag. That kind of thing.

If you can direct them to a place to buy things in bulk ('bulk' as in ability to buy just a little, bring your own container, etc, not 'mass quantity') that helps a lot, especially for spices. Going from zero spices to a full spice rack by trying to buy mccormick jars at the grocery store will break the bank quick.

This. Ever go out and try to stock a kitchen with the basics of cooking? Butter, milk, eggs, flour, sugar, garlic, garlic powder, chile powder, salt, pepper, onion, yeast, etc. Most of these things you buy once a year or so, and rarely at the same time. But if you're buying them all at once it looks like a lot--and we haven't even gotten to the main dish, just the seasonings.

One thing that I'm not convinced on is always cheaper at home is alfredo sauce. But I think that has more to do with the fact that mine is so good so when I make it we eat too much of it in one sitting. Another thing that is impossible to do as cheap as a restaurant is pizza. (What you call pizza and what I call pizza are probably not the same quality--you can tell me you make a good pizza for cheap, and I'd agree with you if it didn't make us both be wrong)

I think what also happens is that most people really don't know how to "cook at home." Homemade spaghetti and meatballs turns into frozen pre-packaged meatballs and boboli pasta. People want the convenience of fast food/take-out but have no idea how to cook or common sense.

I think what also happens is that most people really don't know how to "cook at home." Homemade spaghetti and meatballs turns into frozen pre-packaged meatballs and boboli pasta. People want the convenience of fast food/take-out but have no idea how to cook or common sense.

When "cook at home" = frozen dinner, it's worse and almost as expensive as fast food. Cook from scratch = cheaper and better.

"Once you've bought all the ingredients, it works out just as cheap to get takeaway than to cook at home"

I am very suspicious of their claim that they have ever actually bought ingredients and cooked at home.

I think this is a common (and understandable) misconception by people that have never really cooked and are trying to start. If you don't already have a fully stocked kitchen, then the first several meals are very expensive as you have to go out and buy every little thing like spices, condiments, butter, etc. Recipe calls for 2 Tbsp of flour to thicken? Well shit now I have to buy a whole bag. That kind of thing.

If you can direct them to a place to buy things in bulk ('bulk' as in ability to buy just a little, bring your own container, etc, not 'mass quantity') that helps a lot, especially for spices. Going from zero spices to a full spice rack by trying to buy mccormick jars at the grocery store will break the bank quick.

Its funny, as a general rule the IGA stores near me are more expensive than your Stop and Shop style stores for nearly everything thats not on sale or an IGA generic brand. But they have 2.99, 3.99 and 4.99 large containers of spices (maybe 2 cups worth per bottle). I make a lot of BBQ rubs which require large quantities of chili powder and paprika, I've saved an ungodly amount of money by purchasing the larger IGA spice containers over the years.

"Once you've bought all the ingredients, it works out just as cheap to get takeaway than to cook at home"

I am very suspicious of their claim that they have ever actually bought ingredients and cooked at home.

I think this is a common (and understandable) misconception by people that have never really cooked and are trying to start. If you don't already have a fully stocked kitchen, then the first several meals are very expensive as you have to go out and buy every little thing like spices, condiments, butter, etc. Recipe calls for 2 Tbsp of flour to thicken? Well shit now I have to buy a whole bag. That kind of thing.

If you can direct them to a place to buy things in bulk ('bulk' as in ability to buy just a little, bring your own container, etc, not 'mass quantity') that helps a lot, especially for spices. Going from zero spices to a full spice rack by trying to buy mccormick jars at the grocery store will break the bank quick.

Its funny, as a general rule the IGA stores near me are more expensive than your Stop and Shop style stores for nearly everything thats not on sale or an IGA generic brand. But they have 2.99, 3.99 and 4.99 large containers of spices (maybe 2 cups worth per bottle). I make a lot of BBQ rubs which require large quantities of chili powder and paprika, I've saved an ungodly amount of money by purchasing the larger IGA spice containers over the years.

Kroger here has a small selection of large quantities of spices for like 2x the price of their small stuff, but at least 10x the quantity. For a few things I use constantly, I'll drive to Kroger to get these, instead of walking to the Target behind my apartment.

Kroger here has a small selection of large quantities of spices for like 2x the price of their small stuff, but at least 10x the quantity. For a few things I use constantly, I'll drive to Kroger to get these, instead of walking to the Target behind my apartment.

I buy as many spices as I can at the local Indian grocery. A helpful hint: when they say "extra-hot", they mean "weapons-grade".

Kroger here has a small selection of large quantities of spices for like 2x the price of their small stuff, but at least 10x the quantity. For a few things I use constantly, I'll drive to Kroger to get these, instead of walking to the Target behind my apartment.

I buy as many spices as I can at the local Indian grocery. A helpful hint: when they say "extra-hot", they mean "weapons-grade".

I should probably get some of those for my roommate. He ate a slice of ghost pepper the other day and said it was 'warm.'

Kroger here has a small selection of large quantities of spices for like 2x the price of their small stuff, but at least 10x the quantity. For a few things I use constantly, I'll drive to Kroger to get these, instead of walking to the Target behind my apartment.

I buy as many spices as I can at the local Indian grocery. A helpful hint: when they say "extra-hot", they mean "weapons-grade".

I should probably get some of those for my roommate. He ate a slice of ghost pepper the other day and said it was 'warm.'

I used to live in a house and help integrate refugees that my local congregation was "fostering" (long story). I lived with a pregnant Burmese woman who would put on latex gloves and goggles (quite the sight!) to happily eat peppers so hot that they blistered your skin and irritated your eyes from a distance.

I used to think of myself as having NO tolerance for spice, but moving back to the northeast out of Texas reminded me it's all relative.

Kroger here has a small selection of large quantities of spices for like 2x the price of their small stuff, but at least 10x the quantity. For a few things I use constantly, I'll drive to Kroger to get these, instead of walking to the Target behind my apartment.

I buy as many spices as I can at the local Indian grocery. A helpful hint: when they say "extra-hot", they mean "weapons-grade".

I should probably get some of those for my roommate. He ate a slice of ghost pepper the other day and said it was 'warm.'

I used to live in a house and help integrate refugees that my local congregation was "fostering" (long story). I lived with a pregnant Burmese woman who would put on latex gloves and goggles (quite the sight!) to happily eat peppers so hot that they blistered your skin and irritated your eyes from a distance.

I used to think of myself as having NO tolerance for spice, but moving back to the northeast out of Texas reminded me it's all relative.

Yeah, I moved from Phoenix to NJ and I can't find spicy foods at restaurants here. "Thai hot" should be hotter than 'hot' and it is, well, not. In AZ, medium (3 on a 1-5 scale) is about as much as I can handle.

Kroger here has a small selection of large quantities of spices for like 2x the price of their small stuff, but at least 10x the quantity. For a few things I use constantly, I'll drive to Kroger to get these, instead of walking to the Target behind my apartment.

I buy as many spices as I can at the local Indian grocery. A helpful hint: when they say "extra-hot", they mean "weapons-grade".

I should probably get some of those for my roommate. He ate a slice of ghost pepper the other day and said it was 'warm.'

I used to live in a house and help integrate refugees that my local congregation was "fostering" (long story). I lived with a pregnant Burmese woman who would put on latex gloves and goggles (quite the sight!) to happily eat peppers so hot that they blistered your skin and irritated your eyes from a distance.

I used to think of myself as having NO tolerance for spice, but moving back to the northeast out of Texas reminded me it's all relative.

Yeah, I moved from Phoenix to NJ and I can't find spicy foods at restaurants here. "Thai hot" should be hotter than 'hot' and it is, well, not. In AZ, medium (3 on a 1-5 scale) is about as much as I can handle.

How to you look? I swear whenever they say "how hot do you want it on a scale from 1-10?" they also do an adjustment, like if you look super white they subtract two, and if you look Thai they add three.

edit: I developed this theory based on a single data point once when me and a friend ordered the same hotness level but received different amount of hot.

Kroger here has a small selection of large quantities of spices for like 2x the price of their small stuff, but at least 10x the quantity. For a few things I use constantly, I'll drive to Kroger to get these, instead of walking to the Target behind my apartment.

I buy as many spices as I can at the local Indian grocery. A helpful hint: when they say "extra-hot", they mean "weapons-grade".

I should probably get some of those for my roommate. He ate a slice of ghost pepper the other day and said it was 'warm.'

I used to live in a house and help integrate refugees that my local congregation was "fostering" (long story). I lived with a pregnant Burmese woman who would put on latex gloves and goggles (quite the sight!) to happily eat peppers so hot that they blistered your skin and irritated your eyes from a distance.

I used to think of myself as having NO tolerance for spice, but moving back to the northeast out of Texas reminded me it's all relative.

Yeah, I moved from Phoenix to NJ and I can't find spicy foods at restaurants here. "Thai hot" should be hotter than 'hot' and it is, well, not. In AZ, medium (3 on a 1-5 scale) is about as much as I can handle.

How to you look? I swear whenever they say "how hot do you want it on a scale from 1-10?" they also do an adjustment, like if you look super white they subtract two, and if you look Thai they add three.

edit: I developed this theory based on a single data point once when me and a friend ordered the same hotness level but received different amount of hot.

Are you and your friend of the same gender?

Several male to female transgender friends have confirmed that when they order food a certain level of spiciness, they get significantly LESS spicy food now. Fascinating.

Kroger here has a small selection of large quantities of spices for like 2x the price of their small stuff, but at least 10x the quantity. For a few things I use constantly, I'll drive to Kroger to get these, instead of walking to the Target behind my apartment.

I buy as many spices as I can at the local Indian grocery. A helpful hint: when they say "extra-hot", they mean "weapons-grade".

I should probably get some of those for my roommate. He ate a slice of ghost pepper the other day and said it was 'warm.'

I used to live in a house and help integrate refugees that my local congregation was "fostering" (long story). I lived with a pregnant Burmese woman who would put on latex gloves and goggles (quite the sight!) to happily eat peppers so hot that they blistered your skin and irritated your eyes from a distance.

I used to think of myself as having NO tolerance for spice, but moving back to the northeast out of Texas reminded me it's all relative.

Yeah, I moved from Phoenix to NJ and I can't find spicy foods at restaurants here. "Thai hot" should be hotter than 'hot' and it is, well, not. In AZ, medium (3 on a 1-5 scale) is about as much as I can handle.

How to you look? I swear whenever they say "how hot do you want it on a scale from 1-10?" they also do an adjustment, like if you look super white they subtract two, and if you look Thai they add three.

edit: I developed this theory based on a single data point once when me and a friend ordered the same hotness level but received different amount of hot.

Are you and your friend of the same gender?

Several male to female transgender friends have confirmed that when they order food a certain level of spiciness, they get significantly LESS spicy food now. Fascinating.

Ask if their Thai hot is Bangkok hot or Phuket hot. They'll decide you know what you're asking for.

Or just be specific and say you want x number of bird's eye chillies in the dish if you're having Thai food. That'll do it. (When my partner and I were in Thailand, every now and then a vendor would ask how many chillies we want, which I thought was a good idea, because saying mild, spicy, or very spicy leaves quite a bit of room for interpretation. I find bird's eye chillies tend to be fairly consistent with their spiciness, unlike some other types of chillies, so that worked well. Though you do also need to have a rough idea of the approximate size of the dish, of course.)

Two coworkers have recently bought almost new cars with interest rates around 20%. Neither can afford sales tax so neither car has been registered properly and one is running on plates from a previous car and the other on expired temporary plates. They both make just above minimum wage.

Kroger here has a small selection of large quantities of spices for like 2x the price of their small stuff, but at least 10x the quantity. For a few things I use constantly, I'll drive to Kroger to get these, instead of walking to the Target behind my apartment.

I buy as many spices as I can at the local Indian grocery. A helpful hint: when they say "extra-hot", they mean "weapons-grade".

I should probably get some of those for my roommate. He ate a slice of ghost pepper the other day and said it was 'warm.'

I used to live in a house and help integrate refugees that my local congregation was "fostering" (long story). I lived with a pregnant Burmese woman who would put on latex gloves and goggles (quite the sight!) to happily eat peppers so hot that they blistered your skin and irritated your eyes from a distance.

I used to think of myself as having NO tolerance for spice, but moving back to the northeast out of Texas reminded me it's all relative.

Yeah, I moved from Phoenix to NJ and I can't find spicy foods at restaurants here. "Thai hot" should be hotter than 'hot' and it is, well, not. In AZ, medium (3 on a 1-5 scale) is about as much as I can handle.

How to you look? I swear whenever they say "how hot do you want it on a scale from 1-10?" they also do an adjustment, like if you look super white they subtract two, and if you look Thai they add three.

edit: I developed this theory based on a single data point once when me and a friend ordered the same hotness level but received different amount of hot.

I get this a lot. I'm white but I love and can handle very spicy food (like Thai/SriLankan very hot levels). Whenever I ask for Thai hot or highest levels of hot the waiters give me weird looks like "yea right white boy" and bring me something I consider barely medium.

Kroger here has a small selection of large quantities of spices for like 2x the price of their small stuff, but at least 10x the quantity. For a few things I use constantly, I'll drive to Kroger to get these, instead of walking to the Target behind my apartment.

I buy as many spices as I can at the local Indian grocery. A helpful hint: when they say "extra-hot", they mean "weapons-grade".

I should probably get some of those for my roommate. He ate a slice of ghost pepper the other day and said it was 'warm.'

I used to live in a house and help integrate refugees that my local congregation was "fostering" (long story). I lived with a pregnant Burmese woman who would put on latex gloves and goggles (quite the sight!) to happily eat peppers so hot that they blistered your skin and irritated your eyes from a distance.

I used to think of myself as having NO tolerance for spice, but moving back to the northeast out of Texas reminded me it's all relative.

Yeah, I moved from Phoenix to NJ and I can't find spicy foods at restaurants here. "Thai hot" should be hotter than 'hot' and it is, well, not. In AZ, medium (3 on a 1-5 scale) is about as much as I can handle.

How to you look? I swear whenever they say "how hot do you want it on a scale from 1-10?" they also do an adjustment, like if you look super white they subtract two, and if you look Thai they add three.

edit: I developed this theory based on a single data point once when me and a friend ordered the same hotness level but received different amount of hot.

I get this a lot. I'm white but I love and can handle very spicy food (like Thai/SriLankan very hot levels). Whenever I ask for Thai hot or highest levels of hot the waiters give me weird looks like "yea right white boy" and bring me something I consider barely medium.

I remember getting Thai food from a place in Champagne, Illinois like 10 years ago. I ordered it very spicy because I love spicy foods (Indian heritage) and was insistent that it be made that way. The cook made my pad thai and kept turning to me and yelling, "SPICY" as he added spices to it. The waitress gave me my food with a wicked smile on her face, and it was absolutely delicious!

My sister had a friend in college who had a hard time eating out because American food was too spicy for him. He was from somewhere in South America in a region where they prefer their food unseasoned and bland. Cheeseburger? Too spicy. Southwestern rice? Too spicy. It really is all relative to what you grew up with.

My sister had a friend in college who had a hard time eating out because American food was too spicy for him. He was from somewhere in South America in a region where they prefer their food unseasoned and bland. Cheeseburger? Too spicy. Southwestern rice? Too spicy. It really is all relative to what you grew up with.

Yup, here in Minnesota there are a lot of people with Scandinavian ancestry and I guess their culture doesn't have spicy foods. A former coworker would sweat while eating Italian sausages from a pizza.

My sister had a friend in college who had a hard time eating out because American food was too spicy for him. He was from somewhere in South America in a region where they prefer their food unseasoned and bland. Cheeseburger? Too spicy. Southwestern rice? Too spicy. It really is all relative to what you grew up with.

This is probably the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard with respect to spiciness, and my mother once said that a spaghetti sauce that a friend made was too spicy because he stirred it with a spoon he has used to make spicy sauce (nobody else could detect anything).

Also, where the hell in South America they don't eat spicier food than most of US (excluding SW)?

I'm always amazed that people limit their experiences and mind by how they grew up. For the first 10 years of my life I grew up in an Eastern European coutry where mustard was considered "spicy!" and never seen any Asian, African etc foods. Now not only do I eat super spicy food, but love a huge variety of cuisines and love trying new things.

Anyway, I know people are different, just amazes me how closed off people can be to new experiences just because they didn't grow up that way.

Kroger here has a small selection of large quantities of spices for like 2x the price of their small stuff, but at least 10x the quantity. For a few things I use constantly, I'll drive to Kroger to get these, instead of walking to the Target behind my apartment.

I buy as many spices as I can at the local Indian grocery. A helpful hint: when they say "extra-hot", they mean "weapons-grade".

I should probably get some of those for my roommate. He ate a slice of ghost pepper the other day and said it was 'warm.'

I used to live in a house and help integrate refugees that my local congregation was "fostering" (long story). I lived with a pregnant Burmese woman who would put on latex gloves and goggles (quite the sight!) to happily eat peppers so hot that they blistered your skin and irritated your eyes from a distance.

I used to think of myself as having NO tolerance for spice, but moving back to the northeast out of Texas reminded me it's all relative.

Yeah, I moved from Phoenix to NJ and I can't find spicy foods at restaurants here. "Thai hot" should be hotter than 'hot' and it is, well, not. In AZ, medium (3 on a 1-5 scale) is about as much as I can handle.

How to you look? I swear whenever they say "how hot do you want it on a scale from 1-10?" they also do an adjustment, like if you look super white they subtract two, and if you look Thai they add three.

edit: I developed this theory based on a single data point once when me and a friend ordered the same hotness level but received different amount of hot.

I get this a lot. I'm white but I love and can handle very spicy food (like Thai/SriLankan very hot levels). Whenever I ask for Thai hot or highest levels of hot the waiters give me weird looks like "yea right white boy" and bring me something I consider barely medium.

I remember getting Thai food from a place in Champagne, Illinois like 10 years ago. I ordered it very spicy because I love spicy foods (Indian heritage) and was insistent that it be made that way. The cook made my pad thai and kept turning to me and yelling, "SPICY" as he added spices to it. The waitress gave me my food with a wicked smile on her face, and it was absolutely delicious!

Not sure why it is--maybe because I hung out with Mexicans (illegals, who'd tell the lady selling tacos out of a Toyota Corolla to stop by where we worked to sell said tacos)--but I love spicy food and I'm so white I'm nearly clear. There is a thai place in Bloomington IL that is the only place where I've found something that is too spicy for me so far. Well, the Buffalo Wild Wings super hot sauce is too much for me as well, but I think that is mostly because it just tastes bad. Indian Food I've not tried too much of because I just can't convince my palate to like it. I just don't like it.

I'm always amazed that people limit their experiences and mind by how they grew up. For the first 10 years of my life I grew up in an Eastern European coutry where mustard was considered "spicy!" and never seen any Asian, African etc foods. Now not only do I eat super spicy food, but love a huge variety of cuisines and love trying new things.

Anyway, I know people are different, just amazes me how closed off people can be to new experiences just because they didn't grow up that way.

I agree with you to an extent. I grew up with spicy food so spice doesn't bug me, but for someone that doesn't, spicy foods just won't go down easy with them. Even if they can tolerate it, they may not enjoy their meal, and that is the most important part. That said, I wish more people would be willing to try something that's a little spicer than they like. I've lost count of the people that won't go out for Thai food because they think it's all spicy and won't listen when I (or anyone else) tells that that they can make the food really mild.

Then there's those that don't go out for Thai food or other different cuisines simply because they don't think they will like it. It's one thing if you've tried it and didn't enjoy it, but I really don't have a whole lot of respect for people that just aren't willing to try something new. Same goes with sushi, you don't have to order sashimi if it's new to you, but I would encourage you to at least try the California Roll...which is cooked.

Well, the Buffalo Wild Wings super hot sauce is too much for me as well, but I think that is mostly because it just tastes bad. Indian Food I've not tried too much of because I just can't convince my palate to like it. I just don't like it.

Agreed! The spiciest I will order at BW's is Hot. I've had their blazing and the spice just ruins the flavor in my mind. No worried about not liking Indian food, I'm not a huge fan either. There is usually only one thing I'll ever order at a restaurant and it's the dish my mom is famous within the family for making.

Then there's those that don't go out for Thai food or other different cuisines simply because they don't think they will like it. It's one thing if you've tried it and didn't enjoy it, but I really don't have a whole lot of respect for people that just aren't willing to try something new. Same goes with sushi, you don't have to order sashimi if it's new to you, but I would encourage you to at least try the California Roll...which is cooked.

And once we're there, without fail, he chats with the waiter, asks for recommendations, LOVES the food, and requests that we go back.

So far, we've done that exact pattern for Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Ethiopian, Louisiana-type southern food, Tex-mex, and full-on Mexican. Oh, and Brazilian BBQ. the only one he liked but didn't love was Ethiopian.

"Once you've bought all the ingredients, it works out just as cheap to get takeaway than to cook at home"

I am very suspicious of their claim that they have ever actually bought ingredients and cooked at home.

I think this is a common (and understandable) misconception by people that have never really cooked and are trying to start. If you don't already have a fully stocked kitchen, then the first several meals are very expensive as you have to go out and buy every little thing like spices, condiments, butter, etc. Recipe calls for 2 Tbsp of flour to thicken? Well shit now I have to buy a whole bag. That kind of thing.

If you can direct them to a place to buy things in bulk ('bulk' as in ability to buy just a little, bring your own container, etc, not 'mass quantity') that helps a lot, especially for spices. Going from zero spices to a full spice rack by trying to buy mccormick jars at the grocery store will break the bank quick.

This. Ever go out and try to stock a kitchen with the basics of cooking? Butter, milk, eggs, flour, sugar, garlic, garlic powder, chile powder, salt, pepper, onion, yeast, etc. Most of these things you buy once a year or so, and rarely at the same time. But if you're buying them all at once it looks like a lot--and we haven't even gotten to the main dish, just the seasonings.

One thing that I'm not convinced on is always cheaper at home is alfredo sauce. But I think that has more to do with the fact that mine is so good so when I make it we eat too much of it in one sitting. Another thing that is impossible to do as cheap as a restaurant is pizza. (What you call pizza and what I call pizza are probably not the same quality--you can tell me you make a good pizza for cheap, and I'd agree with you if it didn't make us both be wrong)

Hahaha this made me laugh out loud :)

I appreciate someone who understands the importance of pizza. Pizza should never be half-assed. (And nope, I have never cooked it from home, because it would be a sad affair, not as good as the local Italian place, regrets all round, etc).

Kroger here has a small selection of large quantities of spices for like 2x the price of their small stuff, but at least 10x the quantity. For a few things I use constantly, I'll drive to Kroger to get these, instead of walking to the Target behind my apartment.

I buy as many spices as I can at the local Indian grocery. A helpful hint: when they say "extra-hot", they mean "weapons-grade".

I should probably get some of those for my roommate. He ate a slice of ghost pepper the other day and said it was 'warm.'

I used to live in a house and help integrate refugees that my local congregation was "fostering" (long story). I lived with a pregnant Burmese woman who would put on latex gloves and goggles (quite the sight!) to happily eat peppers so hot that they blistered your skin and irritated your eyes from a distance.

I used to think of myself as having NO tolerance for spice, but moving back to the northeast out of Texas reminded me it's all relative.

Yeah, I moved from Phoenix to NJ and I can't find spicy foods at restaurants here. "Thai hot" should be hotter than 'hot' and it is, well, not. In AZ, medium (3 on a 1-5 scale) is about as much as I can handle.

How to you look? I swear whenever they say "how hot do you want it on a scale from 1-10?" they also do an adjustment, like if you look super white they subtract two, and if you look Thai they add three.

edit: I developed this theory based on a single data point once when me and a friend ordered the same hotness level but received different amount of hot.

I am very white. My roommate (the ghost pepper eater) told the waitress at the last Thai place we went to that he wants his food incredibly spicy, like "try to kill me." It still wasn't, lol.

This is probably the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard with respect to spiciness, and my mother once said that a spaghetti sauce that a friend made was too spicy because he stirred it with a spoon he has used to make spicy sauce (nobody else could detect anything).

Also, where the hell in South America they don't eat spicier food than most of US (excluding SW)?

I'm always amazed that people limit their experiences and mind by how they grew up. For the first 10 years of my life I grew up in an Eastern European coutry where mustard was considered "spicy!" and never seen any Asian, African etc foods. Now not only do I eat super spicy food, but love a huge variety of cuisines and love trying new things.

Anyway, I know people are different, just amazes me how closed off people can be to new experiences just because they didn't grow up that way.

Hey! Not being able to handle spice is not about not trying new things. I grew up eating bland food, and I admit that I prefer eating blander foods. But, I'll try spicy foods. I love a good curry! And Ethiopian! Since I don't eat it on a regular basis, I can't increase my tolerance. So I always have to ask for mild spice. Then, sometimes, I can't eat it all because it is too spicy. A burning mouth is not pleasant, no matter how exciting it is. If I ate spicy foods more regularly, I'm sure I could increase my tolerance. But, I will certainly try it.

Also, I noticed there are different spicy flavors - not just chiles. My husband, who can eat the spiciest chile you can think of and not blink twice, can't stand horseradish (or wasabi). I love a good horseradish and wasabi - he won't eat sushi - I love it. Certain mustards are spicy. I love a good spicy dijon mustard, but my husband prefers bland yellow mustard - what? I know these aren't comparable to a ghost pepper, but since I don't eat ghost peppers I don't care.

I've found that it's all in the description. My father-in-law had no interest in Indian food, even when I invited him over for homemade curry, but he sure liked that "chicken in spicy tomato sauce" I made.

I've found that it's all in the description. My father-in-law had no interest in Indian food, even when I invited him over for homemade curry, but he sure liked that "chicken in spicy tomato sauce" I made.

My sister had a friend in college who had a hard time eating out because American food was too spicy for him. He was from somewhere in South America in a region where they prefer their food unseasoned and bland. Cheeseburger? Too spicy. Southwestern rice? Too spicy. It really is all relative to what you grew up with.

This is probably the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard with respect to spiciness, and my mother once said that a spaghetti sauce that a friend made was too spicy because he stirred it with a spoon he has used to make spicy sauce (nobody else could detect anything).

Also, where the hell in South America they don't eat spicier food than most of US (excluding SW)?

I'm always amazed that people limit their experiences and mind by how they grew up. For the first 10 years of my life I grew up in an Eastern European coutry where mustard was considered "spicy!" and never seen any Asian, African etc foods. Now not only do I eat super spicy food, but love a huge variety of cuisines and love trying new things.

Anyway, I know people are different, just amazes me how closed off people can be to new experiences just because they didn't grow up that way.

I just think some people have naturally stronger palates than others. DBF and I are both white and raised on non-spicy food. I took to spicy food quickly and have gradually increased my tolerance levels, while he has finally started adding Frank's Red Hot diluted with ranch to some items in small quantities, but any more is painful for him.

And I love horseradish, but sometimes I run over my tolerance of it quickly. Why are prepared horseradish (horseradish + vinegar) and spreadable horseradish cheese so easy to eat, but horseradish cheddar on a sandwich gets into my soft palate and makes me choke?

Meanwhile, CloseFriend's Chinese girlfriend (I don't know in which part of China she grew up) has NO tolerance for spicy foods. She brought these jerky-like snack sticks to a party and kept mentioning how "spicy" they were, but no one else thought they were spicy. Maybe they had a little black pepper? She tries to eat some mildly spicy foods, but it's difficult for her. There's no point in her forcing herself to eat spicy things if it will just cause her pain.

I've found that it's all in the description. My father-in-law had no interest in Indian food, even when I invited him over for homemade curry, but he sure liked that "chicken in spicy tomato sauce" I made.

My kids rebelled the first time I took them out for an Indian as they 'knew they wouldn't like it'. They were amazed the curry tasted just like mummy's chicken stew :)

This is probably the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard with respect to spiciness, and my mother once said that a spaghetti sauce that a friend made was too spicy because he stirred it with a spoon he has used to make spicy sauce (nobody else could detect anything).

Also, where the hell in South America they don't eat spicier food than most of US (excluding SW)?

I'm always amazed that people limit their experiences and mind by how they grew up. For the first 10 years of my life I grew up in an Eastern European coutry where mustard was considered "spicy!" and never seen any Asian, African etc foods. Now not only do I eat super spicy food, but love a huge variety of cuisines and love trying new things.

Anyway, I know people are different, just amazes me how closed off people can be to new experiences just because they didn't grow up that way.

Hey! Not being able to handle spice is not about not trying new things. I grew up eating bland food, and I admit that I prefer eating blander foods. But, I'll try spicy foods. I love a good curry! And Ethiopian! Since I don't eat it on a regular basis, I can't increase my tolerance. So I always have to ask for mild spice. Then, sometimes, I can't eat it all because it is too spicy. A burning mouth is not pleasant, no matter how exciting it is. If I ate spicy foods more regularly, I'm sure I could increase my tolerance. But, I will certainly try it.

Also, I noticed there are different spicy flavors - not just chiles. My husband, who can eat the spiciest chile you can think of and not blink twice, can't stand horseradish (or wasabi). I love a good horseradish and wasabi - he won't eat sushi - I love it. Certain mustards are spicy. I love a good spicy dijon mustard, but my husband prefers bland yellow mustard - what? I know these aren't comparable to a ghost pepper, but since I don't eat ghost peppers I don't care.

Sure, but most ethnic places will make a "mild" version. In fact, most make this version by default to cater to American tastes.

This is probably the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard with respect to spiciness, and my mother once said that a spaghetti sauce that a friend made was too spicy because he stirred it with a spoon he has used to make spicy sauce (nobody else could detect anything).

Also, where the hell in South America they don't eat spicier food than most of US (excluding SW)?

I'm always amazed that people limit their experiences and mind by how they grew up. For the first 10 years of my life I grew up in an Eastern European coutry where mustard was considered "spicy!" and never seen any Asian, African etc foods. Now not only do I eat super spicy food, but love a huge variety of cuisines and love trying new things.

Anyway, I know people are different, just amazes me how closed off people can be to new experiences just because they didn't grow up that way.

Hey! Not being able to handle spice is not about not trying new things. I grew up eating bland food, and I admit that I prefer eating blander foods. But, I'll try spicy foods. I love a good curry! And Ethiopian! Since I don't eat it on a regular basis, I can't increase my tolerance. So I always have to ask for mild spice. Then, sometimes, I can't eat it all because it is too spicy. A burning mouth is not pleasant, no matter how exciting it is. If I ate spicy foods more regularly, I'm sure I could increase my tolerance. But, I will certainly try it.

Also, I noticed there are different spicy flavors - not just chiles. My husband, who can eat the spiciest chile you can think of and not blink twice, can't stand horseradish (or wasabi). I love a good horseradish and wasabi - he won't eat sushi - I love it. Certain mustards are spicy. I love a good spicy dijon mustard, but my husband prefers bland yellow mustard - what? I know these aren't comparable to a ghost pepper, but since I don't eat ghost peppers I don't care.

I didn't mean to imply not eating spicy foods = no trying new things. It's just one of the aspects of not trying new things. Most people that "hate" spicy foods (of any level) also do not like to try new things. For me I didn't just go to hot right away. I started eating a variety of foods, found I liked things a little spicy and as I ate more spicy food my tolerance and appreciation increased. For a novice eating something spicier than they can handle will ruin the food. For me, the right food is enhanced by the spiciness. Not everything should be spicy either. Also, and this drives me nuts at restaurants, making something hot does not mean cook it without chillies then at the end add hot sauce or some hot chili powder. It has to cook with the peppers and chillies to develop all the flavor. Cooking with habaneros is a whole different ball game than just adding one chopped up at the end.

There is also a huge difference between "spicy" and "spices". You can make dishes with lots of spices that are not spicy at all and vice versa.

Anyway, we have a lot of people in our family/friend circle that won't eat a lot of things for the stupidest reasons and it's just one of those things that annoys me sometimes. One nephew won't eat blueberries whole but he loves blueberry pureed... mind-boggling!

Also, where the hell in South America they don't eat spicier food than most of US (excluding SW)?

I'd say most of South American cuisine is not spicy, but feel free to correct me on that. I know Peruvian is up there, but in other countries even the "aji" is about as tame as black pepper

Not sure if this is typical, but I have Chilean friends who think black pepper is spicy.

I have a white friend (well, scottish - she's so white she's practically see-through, except for the red hair) who swears that carrots are spicy. And that lettuce is super full of flavour and salad dressing rips off her tongue.

Also, where the hell in South America they don't eat spicier food than most of US (excluding SW)?

I'd say most of South American cuisine is not spicy, but feel free to correct me on that. I know Peruvian is up there, but in other countries even the "aji" is about as tame as black pepper

Not sure if this is typical, but I have Chilean friends who think black pepper is spicy.

My wife is Argentinean and I have struggled for years to acclimate her to the level of heat my pasty white ass prefers (my influences are primarily Asian, with some Southwest US thrown in). To her and the rest I've met, like your Chileans, a pinch of black pepper is spicy - her family doesn't even keep it at the table with the salt like we do. Their foods are sweet, creamy, savory, salty, and everything else but fiery.

You may find chimichurri with red and/or black pepper, but I'm pretty sure the genuinely spicy types are foreign inventions. When I see it down there, it's basically herbs, oil, acids (vinegar and/or lemon juice) and salt.

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Semi-FIREd December 2017, part-time entrepreneur, lover of puppies and saltwater.

This is probably the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard with respect to spiciness, and my mother once said that a spaghetti sauce that a friend made was too spicy because he stirred it with a spoon he has used to make spicy sauce (nobody else could detect anything).

Also, where the hell in South America they don't eat spicier food than most of US (excluding SW)?

I'm always amazed that people limit their experiences and mind by how they grew up. For the first 10 years of my life I grew up in an Eastern European coutry where mustard was considered "spicy!" and never seen any Asian, African etc foods. Now not only do I eat super spicy food, but love a huge variety of cuisines and love trying new things.

Anyway, I know people are different, just amazes me how closed off people can be to new experiences just because they didn't grow up that way.

Hey! Not being able to handle spice is not about not trying new things. I grew up eating bland food, and I admit that I prefer eating blander foods. But, I'll try spicy foods. I love a good curry! And Ethiopian! Since I don't eat it on a regular basis, I can't increase my tolerance. So I always have to ask for mild spice. Then, sometimes, I can't eat it all because it is too spicy. A burning mouth is not pleasant, no matter how exciting it is. If I ate spicy foods more regularly, I'm sure I could increase my tolerance. But, I will certainly try it.

Also, I noticed there are different spicy flavors - not just chiles. My husband, who can eat the spiciest chile you can think of and not blink twice, can't stand horseradish (or wasabi). I love a good horseradish and wasabi - he won't eat sushi - I love it. Certain mustards are spicy. I love a good spicy dijon mustard, but my husband prefers bland yellow mustard - what? I know these aren't comparable to a ghost pepper, but since I don't eat ghost peppers I don't care.

I completely agree with the bolded statement above. I've eaten korean food my entire life, enjoy the spiciest korean foods, and never thought that kimchi could even be considered spicy. Apparently it is to some of my friends. To me it's the equivalent of a pickle - you eat it to freshen up a dish. If I'm eating spaghetti and can't find pickles, I often replace pickles with kimchi...I've heard of mexicans who eat chiles for dessert that can't bear mild korean spices, and vice versa.

I've gotten accustomed to being able to eat the spiciest levels of east asian and american foods - I think everything tastes better with at least some crushed red pepper, if not other spices. I recently got a gyro from a foodtruck in NJ, asked for the spiciest version of the dish and thought I was going to die. I don't like wasting food (or giving up), so I finished the dish with tears in my eyes and my hands shaking...I was in physical shock for the next 30 min or so.